Sunday Morning Showdown: King Seiko Vanac Vs. Toledano & Chan B/1
And before you know it, it is Sunday again! Welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown. We hope you are comfortable, with a cup of coffee in hand and a croissant nearby. Depending on where you are, maybe you are even greeted by a soft spring sunshine. Well, say goodbye to your peaceful morning because we have another horological bare-knuckle fistfight for you. Today, we pit the brand-new King Seiko Vanac against the Toledano & Chan B/1. Things are about to get brutal(ist)!
These are two watches taking a design-first approach, so it made no sense to pit anybody but our two design buffs against each other. Jorg will defend the Toledano & Chan B/1, while Thomas will make a case for the King Seiko Vanac. However, as always, we’ll have a look at last week’s results first.
Last week’s Sunday Morning Showdown
Last Sunday, Daan and Lex brought the Tudor Black Bay Chronograph in “Flamingo blue” and the TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox in purple into the ring. This was the battle of the colorful chronographs. Unfortunately, many of you complained that the Carrera wasn’t quite colorful enough, perhaps partially because of the photography. Well, it isn’t really a Sunday if you don’t tell us what we got wrong, so we’ll live. Luckily, it did not stop the majority of you from voting.
Still, the TAG Heuer won by a landslide. It took home a convincing 64% of the votes! Interestingly, a recurring theme in the comments section is the overall preference for the Carrera, regardless of color. Many of you disliked both colors but simply preferred the Glassbox’s overall shape. Let’s see if today’s matchup leads to similarly clear results!
Thomas: King Seiko Vanac
Good morning, Jorg and dear Fratelli! I will be honest with you: I am not feeling too confident today. I wrote the introduction article for the Vanac, and frankly, I wasn’t overly positive. It feels as if Kevin de Bruyne (representing the Vanac’s history) provided a razor-sharp, defense-splitting through-ball on Erling Haaland (the new Vanac), with the potential to go down as one of the great assists of all time. And then Haaland hits the post, erasing the artful pass from our common conscience. For my American friends, those are footballers playing sports with their feet. I am just teasing; I love you!
I shouldn’t be teasing, actually. Going up against the Toledano & Chan B/1, I need all the goodwill I can get today. We felt the new King Seiko models warrant a showdown as they reintroduce a unique slice of Seiko’s design history. They are radical, brutalist design objects that happen to tell the time. “What else is like that?” we wondered. Well, the Toledano & Chan B/1, of course.
Another reason these stack up quite well is pricing. The King Seiko Vanac comes in at €3,400, while the Toledano & Chan B/1 costs US$4,000. So, with the perimeters set, let me try to make a case for the Vanac.
King Seiko versus Toledano & Chan
I reckon I have the best odds if my talking points revolve around heritage and brand. I know the Toledano & Chan B/1 was very well received, with massive coverage in the media. At the same time, that created something of a divide with hardcore watch fans. Many seem to feel it was a little bit too much of a hipster New York insider hype. This was linked to criticism of the price, which I think today’s showdown debunks. I happen to know a thing or two about launching a new brand in a higher segment, and the B/1 is worth its asking price.
Image: Vintageseiko.nl
In any case, I think King Seiko carries a little more weight among the aficionados. Both of these brands are insider choices. Only one, however, has a rich history and, crucially, the original Vanac collection from 1972–1974 to lean on.
That collection originated from both Seiko factories — Daini Seikosha and Suwa Seikosha. The watches featured radical designs, faceted crystals, and complicated case shapes. These King Seiko watches represent a revolution in watch design. The Toledano & Chan stands firmly on the Vanac’s shoulders. Yes, the B/1 is the slick new iPhone, but the Vanac is the IBM Simon.
A closer look at the design
Since these watches make design their primary selling point, allow me to highlight some of the Vanac’s features. For starters, have a look at the case. Its sweeping flanks follow the wrist like any regular curved watch would. From the top, however, the case takes on a wholly unique appearance. The circular dial opens up to a wide, muscular barrel shape. Cleverly, the top facet — or “bezel” if you insist — serves as a stepping stone between the two shapes. It is barely present yet crucial for the flow of the case. Such smart design features always put a smile on my face.
Seiko emphasizes the design through almost-Zaratsu finishing. The high polish on the broad, sloped surface connecting the top and the flank makes a major statement. It’s a statement unique to King Seiko and Grand Seiko, and you will recognize it from across the room. It is hard to think of other watches that can be identified by the reflection from a single facet.
The bracelet features similarly clever design choices. Its narrow links and sharply contrasting alternating finishes make it look and feel supremely refined. All of this works hard to compensate for the dial, which is where things go south. Okay, Jorg, I think I should pass the pen on to you now. Tell the good Fratelli why the Toledano & Chan B/1 is the way to go!
Jorg: Toledano & Chan B1
Thanks, Thomas! I loved the short football analogy at the beginning. For a second there, I wondered where you would take it, but you’ve pretty much hit the nail on the head. I first found out about the wildly creative King Seiko Vanac series while doing research for the Buying Guide article on the best King Seiko and Grand Seiko watches from the 1970s. I was intrigued, to say the least. The series of watches that both Seiko factories created under the Vanac name perfectly fit the zeitgeist of the early ’70s when experimentation was a huge factor in design.
In all honesty, I say “intrigued” because I wasn’t necessarily a fan of all the Vanac models. The ones I adore are those with round bezels, like the example in your picture. The rectangular and hexagonal models aren’t necessarily my thing in terms of shape. But I do love the overall approach of creating something new and creative. The sharp, angled cases in combination with faceted crystals, colorful dials, and comfortable bracelets are a testament to great creativity. These watches were meant to push boundaries and offer designs that stood out. I love that mentality, and it is a big part of why I adore the vintage Vanac series.
The Toledano & Chan B/1 — Capturing the true spirit of the vintage Vanac series
Just one glance at today’s contenders will tell you that only the Toledano & Chan B/1 captures that same adventurous spirit. When the B/1 debuted last year, it felt exciting and different. And as good design usually does, it might have also felt a bit uncomfortable. That often happens when designers push conventional boundaries, and in this case, they did that very well! But whereas the Toledano & Chan B/1 feels new and exciting, the new King Seiko Vanac series feels safe and retro but lacks the true adventurous Vanac spirit.
Let me start with a positive: I do like the design of the new Vanac case and bracelet. As you said, Thomas, it is a very nicely sculpted design with a lot of small, great-looking details. But the new watches lack the faceted crystals that Seiko used for important reasons on top of just being standout physical elements of the watches. The different facets of the crystals made it look like the dials had a funky pattern. As a result, the remarkable case, faceted crystals, and colorful dials became one. The angular shapes flowed from one to another flawlessly, and that is the magic of the vintage models. Finishing the look was an intricate and comfortable steel bracelet, which completed a wonderful design that was a great testament to Seiko’s will to challenge the status quo.
The impact of great design
When I saw the new Vanac series, I only found the angular case reminiscent of that mentality. But we have moved on from the 1970s, and the new shape is not nearly as impactful as the original watches were in that decade. And do you know who did get it right, Thomas? You can guess where I am going with this…Toledano & Chan. When the brainchild of Phil Toledano and Alfred Chan first dropped, you could feel the buzz. Sure, the New York hype often travels fast and is hardly ever as globally impactful as is often suggested. In this case, though, the buzz had some proper substance to it. This is a carefully designed watch that sprouted from a creative idea that uses brutalist architecture as the catalyst for its design.
To be frank, I had to get used to the Toledano & Chan B/1 for a minute. But as I explained, that is what great design does to you. And I didn’t want the hype to influence me because the carefully designed watch deserves more than the easily repeated buzzwords of the online world we live in. No, I wanted to form an informed opinion on its creative idea, the unique shapes, and the intricate details. That intriguing design came with an overarching question: does this great brutalist idea work for a watch? Once I got past my initial feeling of discomfort, I knew the two men behind the brand were on to something.
The uncompromising design of the B/1
The beautifully sculpted case is truly one of the most exciting designs I have seen from any brand, let alone a small, new one. It is uncompromising in its approach, and that’s why it works so well. As most of you know, Toledano & Chan took inspiration from an asymmetrical window of the former Met Breuer building in New York City. It sparked a case design measuring 33.5mm wide and 31.5mm long that is magical in its asymmetrical presence. It measures 10.4mm at its thickest point and tapers to 9.1mm at its thinnest, thus recreating the visual effect of the window that inspired the design. The right side of the case draws your eyes to the massive bezel, which provides more architectural drama to the overall presence.
Another detail I adore is that the case flows naturally into the bracelet. This flawless transition gives the B/1 the feel of a bracelet rather than a watch with an integrated bracelet. That’s also where the creation plays with your perception of a traditional watch, and I love that. As you probably know, Phil Toledano has a knack for ’70s designs that also play with that perception, so to say that it was surprising would be lying. But the way that he and Alfred Chan have made it work is simply sublime. Just look at the difference in the size of the links. It shows the attention to detail and the determination to go the extra mile to bring a vision to life.
Comparing the B/1 with the B/1.2
I do have to address something that will surely come up in the comments, Thomas. The first B/1 features a blue lapis lazuli dial that fits the matte blasted and brushed 904L stainless steel surroundings very well. It’s a nod to the stone dials of the 1970s that graced famous watches from Piaget and Rolex. The beautiful contrast between the case and the dial makes for a stunningly designed watch that is powered by the trusted Sellita SW100. That inaugural model debuted at US$4,000 last year. This year, the brand treated us to a second version (besides the two one-offs that were auctioned) with a Tahitian mother-of-pearl dial and a new faceted crystal. I especially love the new crystal as it further strengthens the overall idea.
But the B/1.2, due to its new dial and different finish, came with a price of US$5,700. It makes the second model significantly more expensive than the new King Seiko Vanac. Yes, the new dial and crystal do justify a price increase. Having said that, I wonder whether a third model will be at the same price level. But the adjusted price tag didn’t seem to bother fans of the watch at all as the watches sold like hotcakes. I completely understand why.
If anything, Phil Toledano and Alfred Chan have doubled down on their creative idea and made it even better with that distinct crystal. And that is exactly why I prefer the B/1 over the new King Seiko Vanac. By putting creativity at the center of the B/1, Toledano & Chan created something far more exciting than the new King Seiko models, which merely reflect the original creative idea that made the original Vanac watches so special. That’s why my pick for this week’s battle is so easy.
The vote is yours!
But, as always, it is not up to us. It’s time to turn the question over to you, our readers. Which will be your pick in this week’s battle? Will it be the new King Seiko Vanac or the Toledano & Chan B/1? Vote for your favorite below, and let us know in the comments section why you prefer it. Enjoy your Sunday!
